New School-No Friends | ADHD Information

We took my son out of private school this past June and are putting him into the public school system in september.  I'm a little worried about how this will go.  He is excited about it (even asked to change).  He has had problems socially with the kids he's been with since kindergarten. He was labled the "troublemaker" by all the parents.   He'll now take the bus (he thinks is cool) and will only be there for one year befor they change to the middle school (oh, he's going into 3rd).  My problem is that when I signed him up for public, I requested the principal to call befor placing him-I figured they should know a little bit about him first.  I recieved no call.  I also asked if he could meet the teacher and see his classroom (major issues with transition-hoping this would help) Here I was turned down flat.  As he is my oldest, I am unfamiliar with the public school "ettiquite".  Is this normal behavior for the schools?  Maybe I am just blowing things out of proportion.  Just wondering what others have experienced.  Thanks.

Push the school, dont give in. demand they acknowledge your concerns.It pays to be the pain in the ...

Our schools are over crowded and the ratio of teacher to child is rediculous. If only half my patients live, I wouldnt get paid, so I believe if only half their children pass, either should they.

Good luck!

Ps.try karate? discipline and interaction with other kids

 

 

 

Why won't they talk to you? That doesn't make any sense. They always let all five of my kids go to school and meet the teachers before the first day of school and only one had special needs. Something smells fishy. I'd call again and ask the questions I just posed. That is not the status quo for most school districts, at least I don't think it is.

It was probably just the secretary who told you all of this without checking further.  I would just call again and ask to speak directly to the principal.

Summer tends to be a pretty laid-back time in our school district. If you are thinking that he may need or qualify for an IEP or 504 help, call the school office and ask who the 504 coordinator is.  That should get someone's attention and get a call back. Otherwise, just pop in to the school and check it out yourself.  Many teachers aren't around during the summer until the week before school, so you might have to wait until then to talk to him/her.  I certainly understand your desire to talk to the teacher. I know a few teachers who are very leery about talking to parents before school, because they want to get to know the child as an individual and not have preconceived ideas. HOWEVER, your concerns should be noted and you should at least get to talk to the teacher at an open house or something.  Be persistant. Good Luck!The options listed by Ivanhoe, who also is Oldtimer, are not the only ones.  My son has an IEP and is in general ed all day.If it is possible i would put him in a private school. there they have a better
student to teacher ration so he can get the help he needs. and is he taking
any meds if not maybe you should get him started on some to help with
some of the problems he may have with friends. ivanhoe- thanks for the info...what is an ohi form?  i think the the SI screening is already in place for him. Our local public schools usually have an open house just a few days before school starts.  This usually lasts for about 2 hours during the evening.  During this time, the children get to meet their teacher, see their classroom, and put their new school supplies in their desk.  This helps alot with decreasing the anxiety that they would otherwise have on their first day of school!

The Principal's Secretary was the one I spoke to originally.  The rep around town is that the school is wonderful, principal is great, not one negative thing.  So, I'm not sure why I got this. 

codj:  John has been in karate for a little over a year.  He enjoys it greatly.  His instructor is a wealth of knowledge.  He works for the state as a social worker for children that are extreme discipline problems (involved in the courts).  He has provided me with some great ideas, strategies, ect.  He is also a blessing withJohn.  He knows exactly how to deal with him.  This was the best thing I have ever done!

When my son went from private to public, I met with the principal, took in my son's private dxs of Disorder of Written Expression and ADHD, and requested my son be put with teachers who were not yellers .  He was placed with an LA teacher who also was the mom of a son with special needs, and the teacher was absolutely fantastic!  I strongly recommend meeting with the prinicpal before school begins. 

BTW, you say your son does not get along with his peers and has great difficulties with transitions.  What is his dx?

I would also go directly to the principal. If they choose the wrong teacher, the year will go badly for both the teacher and your child. NoTellin38931.5037731482 lilian-  He was recently dxed w ADHD-moderate & ODD-just on meds for 1 wk Adderal XR 5mg last week increasing to 10. You can always get a Dr. to make referrals also. Go iep its enforceable by law. Here  a list is put on the door way same day as meet the teacher night. Ask for SE testing. This can open the most doors for the child. You will need a ohi form for the Dr. to sign also. Get from SE. ASk for SI screening also. They can get Ot help in public school also. If mainstream isn't working you have 2 other optitions. All basics in SE room. Or then self contained SE all day. At the end of last year, I met with the public school's social worker and we set up to have him tested.  They are going to "run the gammet" and see exactly what his learining style is-rule out any learning dissabiliies, have him tested for speech -at 8 he still has trouble pronouncing the "J" and "SH"/"CH" sounds.  She suggested we wait until the biggining of the year to start the tests (I made the request towards the last month of school.)  When he was in private, they did not have anything available for him, but the teachers were wounderful and more than willing to work with him.  I think now is the time to switch him.  I'm not sure about a 504 or an IEP.  I've never had to deal with any of these.  Can anyone give me a quick overview?  I want to have him settled as soon as possible!  My daughter goes to the public for preschool, so I am a little bit familiar with the school itself, but her program is run through a different department than the elementary school.  Do public schools give you the policies and procudures, or do you need to ask them? He had been in private school since kindergarten-we took him out because they did not have to comply with MA state laws regarding any type of SE or Therapy.  They were willing to work with him in any waythat was necessary as far as discipline.  THey had no services whatsoever to help him any other way.  If I wanted to give him services, I would have had to bring him from the private school to the public school.  As far as I know there aren't any private schools here that deal with ADHD specifically. Sometimes the school doesn't tell you the teacher until the end of the summer...for the reason that it doesn't give the parents room to complain and request teachers...maybe they don't want you to meet the teacher yet, but surely you could visit the school and see a classroom!  I would call back and just ask for a tour of the school from the principal and then maybe you can speak to him about the situation and ask questions so that your son is prepared.